The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1887-07-21
An / mpOrian in Receipt of a cOmmu-
nication from Him.
Brinske, an Inmate ola Soldiers and
Sailors Home in New York,
Makes Sworn Statement Of His
Army Service TO- Cleveland,
And Also a Statement Showing the
Utter HeartIsssnsss of the Latter,
Who Refused Aid to the Man Who
Faced Death in His Stead.

Several warm friends of Grover
Cleveland in this city have disputed the
fact that the substitute who served
during the late unpleasantness in place
of he who now acts as president of
these United States, was an in
mate of soldiers and sailors home at
Bath, New York state. One of these
enthusiastic gentlemen publicly stated
that he would give 800 to the person
making the assertion if he would prove
it to be a fact. This statement was
made in the Democrat office, in the
presence of Mr.. w. III. H. Wood, who
has taken the trouble to write on for
the facts, which we present our read
ers below in the form of a sworn state
ment, the original of which can be seen
in the possession of Mr.. Wood:
George Brinske, now AN inmate of
the Soldiers and Sailors home at
Bath, Steuben Co., N. Y, deposes and
says that he is native of Poland; that
he is now So years of age, and that he
is the same person who, on or about the
9th day of Aug, 1865, was sworn into
the serviceof the United States as sub
stitute for Grover Cleveland, at Buffa-
10. N. Y, and that he did serve in sub
stitute of the aforesaid Grover Cleve-
land as private of Co. F, 18th Reg.
n. Y. V.
Af1iant further depOses and says that
at the close of the war he was returned
to and discharged from the service at
'Elmira. N. Y, on or about the 10th
day of August, 1865, and that he then
went from there (Elmira) to Buffalo,
n. Y; that at Buffalo he was seen
and recognized by Grover Cleveland,
and that he (Cleveland) asked to see
Brinske's discharge; that upon seeing
the discharge he (Cleveland) said that
| should now get out papers OF citizen
| ship, and that he (CleVeland) for this
purpose, accompanied Brinske to the
Office of Judge MaSton; that there his
| (Brinske'S) papers were made out and
witnessed by Adam Rhinehart and
Michael Castle, and that he (Brinske)
voted for Cleveland when he (Cleve-
land was running for sheriff of Erie
Co., N. Y.
(about the fall of 1861 he saw no more
of Mr.. Cleveland until the New York
state election of 1885. He, Brinske
was an inmate at that time of the Erie
county poorhOuSe, and hearing that
President Cleveland was to be in Buff
falo on the day of election, Brinske was
there that day for the purpose of see
ing him. Affiant further says that hi
called upon Mr.. Butler of the Buffalo
Evening News, and that Mr.. Butler
gave him note to be given to Mr.. Bis
sell, the presidents law partner. Thu
note requested that the aforesaid Bis
sell see the president and induce hin
to do something for Brinske that M
might not remain a pauper. Attian
states that having received this not
from Mr.. Butler, he went direct to thu
Office of Mr.. Bissell and there met Pres
ident Cleveland, and the president rec
ogniZed him at once and introduced
him to those present by saying, "ThiE
is the man who went to the war TO
me-" Brinske remained in the room
} until alone with the president. The
president then asked BrinSke if hC
wanted money, or what it was that ht
did want? Brinske answered that hC
was sick and destitute and needed
help. The president, in gruff voice
J said, THAT is not So" Then, modi
, flying his voice, he asked, SIS that sop
BrinSke said that it was. The presi
, dent said no more. Left the room
poor farm. From there he was sent tt
the home.
GEORGE This X mark BRINsKE.
Witness to mark:
j. A. CoNRoY,
FRED MCCONNELL.
} Subscribed Snd sworn to before me
this 18th day of July, 1887; and I Ger
tify that l have no interest in thu
prosecution of this claim.
CHAs. II. MCMASTER,
Deputy Clerk of Steuben County.